Observations of the Proverbs 31 Woman and Work

As a Christian, I believe that all things should be considered through the lens of Scripture. Proverbs 31 is considered to be the classic passage that describes the Virtuous Woman, and it has a lot to say about work. In fact, we find out that this Virtuous Woman is VERY industrious and hard-working.

She works willingly with her hands, she brings food from afar, evaluates a field and buys it, plants a vineyard, she made fabric and clothing and sold it, and the list continues.

But in addition to those things, we also see that that the heart of her husband trusts in her safely, she does him good and not evil, she looks after the ways of her household, her children arise and call her blessed, and her husband praises her. In short, there is a broader context of her identity and her work in that it relates to her home and her family.

We can clearly see in this passage that a woman should be hardworking and skilled, she should develop the talents she has, but she should also remember that those things should complement her role as a wife and mother, (if she is one) and not detract from it.

And most importantly, as verse 30 says, “Favor is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.” A God-fearing heart is much more valuable than all of the skills.

Ultimately, I can try to do all of the practical things in the world to invest time and energy into my family, but without the Lord, it will not work. God is truly the One who can build a family and keep it together.

Psalm 127:1 Except  the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it